Author	[Modern View]
pat sublett 10-23-2011 18:13:47 99.57.159.162 Report to Moderator	Anyone know the system or rationale for truck ratings. Example, I have a 2 ton truck with a GVW of 18,000 lbs. How does the rating equate to 2 ton. [Reply]   [No Email]
Scotty HOMEy 10-23-2011 22:00:15 70.105.234.2 Report to Moderator	Re: Truck rating in reply to pat sublett, 10-23-2011 18:13:47   The others are onto it. Half, three-quarter, one-ton, it's an old parlance. The last vestige of it was let loose in the late 70s. Up until that break, Ford 1/2-ton pickups were F-100s. I don't recall the year, but they suddenly were labeled F-150s. They (on paper anyway) upped the rating on them so that they could continue to burn unleaded gas. This was back when both leaded and unleaded were both still available. I'll stop now that I'm showing my age, but the others, GM and Dodge did the same. [Reply]  [No Email]
Banditfarmer 10-23-2011 19:53:31 174.103.156.49 Report to Moderator	Re: Truck rating in reply to pat sublett, 10-23-2011 18:13:47   This goes back to the military ratting system, A truck rated at 2 ton had to haul 2 ton off road and carry it at 40 mph in the field. Same thing for a 5 ton truck and this carried over into the civilian market after WW2 dew to all the veterans buying trucks after the war. Bandit [Reply]  [No Email]
sixtyninegmc 10-23-2011 19:40:28 209.112.196.186 Report to Moderator	Re: Truck rating in reply to pat sublett, 10-23-2011 18:13:47   There is a method to the madness, ton ratings refer to the amount of "payload" a truck can haul. Theoretically your 2 tonner would weigh in around 13,000 pounds, allowing 1,000 pounds for fuel, passengers, driver, tools, etc., and 4,000 pounds of payload. However, in the make-believe world of advertising, some trucks were underated to say that "our half-ton can carry more than you half ton", even though they should both be rated to carry 1000 pounds. My `49 Dodge Power Wagon is rated as a 1 ton, but has a empty weight of 5200 pounds, gross of 9800 pounds, 4600 pounds is a heck of a "ton" :-) Josh [Reply]  [No Email]
scotc 10-23-2011 19:14:13 75.221.227.35 Report to Moderator	Re: Truck rating in reply to pat sublett, 10-23-2011 18:13:47   I think it's an old phrase used to describe something heavier than a pickup, but not as heavy as a semi. [Reply]  [No Email]
ron8 10-26-2011 14:47:06 207.200.116.69 Report to Moderator	Re: Truck rating in reply to scotc, 10-23-2011 19:14:13   in the days of the Model A ford, the tons made sense [Reply]  [No Email]